Guardians of the Galaxy Game Hits iOS and Android for $4.99 with No In-App Purchases

Let's be honest here--the mobile game tie-ins for movies are usually terrible. Even when they're not (like the recent Captain America game), there is a web of in-app purchases to navigate. That's not the case with the new Guardians of the Galaxy title, which is just out on Android and iOS. This is an action RPG with Star-Lord, Rocket, Groot, Gamora, and Drax in the starring roles, and it contains no upsells at all.

Let's be honest here—the mobile game tie-ins for movies are usually terrible. Even when they're not (like the recent Captain America game), there is a web of in-app purchases to navigate. That's not the case with the new Guardians of the Galaxy title, which is just out on Android and iOS. This is an action RPG with Star-Lord, Rocket, Groot, Gamora, and Drax in the starring roles, and it contains no upsells at all.

This is a 2.5D side scrolling RPG-style combat game. If you've ever played one of the Battleheart games, this is a similar idea. You move your heroes around the screen to deal with the enemies while triggering special abilities and generating combos by combining the right heroes' attacks. You'll also gain experience to level up and find new items that make you more powerful.

Controlling your team can be a bit hectic, but it's also about as intuitive as it gets. The simplicity of the controls makes it possible to manage multiple units at once. Tap and drag from your unit to the enemy and they attack until one of them is dead. Moving is the same way, except no one dies. Some of your heroes have ranged attacks and others are melee fighters, so you'll have to move them around the screen and plan accordingly.

The game is played across a few dozen levels in various environments. The enemies will evolve over time, and there is the occasional boss battle to contend with. Defeated bosses can also be fought again at any time in arena mode. There's no multiplayer, but Google Play Games offers leaderboards.

While the gameplay seems straightforward and enjoyable, the graphics are probably just as much of a draw. The design is very clean, and not done in the traditional comic book cel shading style. Instead, the characters have slightly oversized heads with lots of cartoon-y detail. It's a cool look.

This game is $4.99, but the lack of in-app purchases makes it something to at least consider. This sort of RPG combat game can be very compelling when you're not constantly grinding to avoid spending $10 on IAPs. Plus, Guardians of the Galaxy. You're welcome.

Ryan Whitwam is a freelance tech/science writer and fan of all things electronic. This long-time skeptic and former research scientist is a lover of the em dash and a defender of the Oxford comma. He also writes for Geek.com and ExtremeTech.
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